Death and Rebirth
by Athlelia
Summary: In a world turned upside down by the death of the beloved wizard Dumbledore, two young students of Hogwarts will enter in on a bargain that is destined to destroy their lives and to be reborn to either heal a broken world or destroy it...
1. Chapter 1

"Ms. Granger!" Professor McGonagall uncharacteristically snapped at her top student. She took a few quick steps towards the young woman and brought her wand down against the desk, startling several of the students in the transfiguration class. "Ms. Granger if you cannot muster the energy to focus in class, then you can be excused." Professor McGonagall knew she was taking a risk by her sudden outburst at the unofficial favorite student in Hogwarts, but she knew something had to be done.

Hermione slowly turned her gaze up towards the professor who was frowning at her and without changing her blank expression, she methodically gathered up her various books and papers. Standing she faced Professor McGonagall and without any hesitation calmly replied, "Very well."

Professor McGonagall was inwardly shocked. The past few months she had kept a close watch on Hogwart's top students and Hermione had become of particular interest to her. The changes she had been witnessing had begun to be concerning, but there had not had any reason to voice them to the other professors…until lately. Hermione had become distant and unresponsive in class, and McGonagall had had reports that she was becoming increasingly isolated from the other Gryffindors and that even Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had tapered off trying to figure out what was happening to their best friend. As McGonagall watched Hermione slowly, yet purposely leave the classroom she knew that something was going terribly wrong.

Hermione gazed out the dusty window across the extensive grounds of Hogwarts and let her eyes settle on the outskirts of the ancient forest. Pulling her knees closer to her chest, she let out a long slow sigh. She let her mind slowly go numb as she let the deep greens and muted browns of the forest blur together, and as her eyes began to burn she let them tear up, trying to force her body to cry. But the tears didn't come; they didn't create streaks of raw emotion across her checks, or slowly drop down to dampen the top of her black school robes. Hermione was emotionally raw and empty at the same time. Her quest for knowledge had finally begun to take its toll on her mind and her body had followed.

She sat gazing out the window for several minutes, letting time simply pass her by until she suddenly tensed as the old, heavy wooden door to the forgotten room slowly groaned open. Without turning she knew who it was and what was to come. She had been seeking this moment since the beginning of the school year, and now, in this instant she was scared to death of what was going to happen. She had questioned herself countless times, chiding herself and hating herself for what she was doing, and yet, deep within her she knew…she knew that this was the only way. Her sacrifice would set a serious of events in motion that would change the world…she only hoped that it would be a change for the better.

"It's time," cold seeped into her bones at the deep voice whispered to her. "Are…are you ready?" Hermione wanted to cry, to lash out at the timid concern behind the darkness that was beginning to envelop her. She turned, standing to face the cold eyes watching her - always calculating, always searching. Seemingly unkempt blonde hair hung across the forehead of the young man who stood before her, his body held erect with the air of importance.

"I am ready," Hermione tried to keep her voice steady, but couldn't help a slight tremor to her words. Draco Malfoy was unaccustomed to working with or let alone trusting another person, and he knew that Hermione had tried to respond to his cold, calculating manor by keeping her emotions in check, but he also knew that no one could possibly survive without showing some emotion with what she was going through. And because of her restraint on his behalf, he was trying to soften his hard demeanor and give her some sort of reassurance. But he always found that no matter how he tried she never responded.

"The others have already gathered…do you wish to change?" Draco tentatively asked.

Hermione lowered her gaze, looking at the patterns their footprints had created through the dust on the wooden floors. And for a small moment she let her mind wander, releasing a fraction of the pressure she was under before returning her gaze to the young man. "No. I..will present myself as I am." She gave a small wave of her hand, gesturing to the school robe. "This represents who I am and why I am doing this better than anything could."

Draco tilted his head in acknowledgement. Gently he extended his hand towards Hermione and held his breath as he waited for her to gently place her hand in his. As her cool skin slowly touched his, the knot in his stomach tightened and he fought hard to keep his emotions in check. He tightened his grip, and he began to slowly breathe the few words he needed to transport them.

Harry burst into the common room, his eyes desperately seeking the familiar shock of red hair. "Ron!" his voice deep and full of urgency. "Now, up in the room," he took just a second to make eye contact with his best friend before rushing up the stairs and into the dormitory. Ron quickly made his way from the deep red and gold chair where he had been struggling in vain to work on his potions homework. He knew that tone from Harry, and that whatever it was, it was something immediately important.

He entered their shared room to find Harry angrily muttering to himself, pacing back and forth. "What is it?" Ron asked, concern written across his face.

Harry turned, his eyes full of raw and unbridled rage. "It's Hermione! It has always been Hermione, Ron."

"What is Hermione?" Ron furrowed his brow in sudden confusion, and fear at the rage he could feel radiating off of Harry.

"Everything! She…she has been working with…I was talking with Professor McGonagall and she confirmed it all! I just can't believe this is what has been going on, I never thought, could not have imagined that after all that we have been through together that she could just," Harry threw up his hands in anger, turned and began to punch the carved bedpost.

"Oi, Harry don't break my bed," Ron cried out, leaping forward and pulling Harry back from repeating his assault on the wooden offender.

Harry roughly shoved him, "Don't touch me!" He almost screamed at Ron, what little control he had on his emotions breaking.

"Harry you've got to calm down and make some sense," Ron pleaded knowing that the rage he saw in Harry was dangerous, and he had to get under control.

Harry spun around and faced his friend squarely in the face. "Hermione has done the unthinkable. She has betrayed us all. Tonight she has…she has…" Harry stopped almost choking on the words as they stuck in his throat.

"What!" Ron almost shouted in impatience.

"Hermione has become…a, she has chosen," Harry suddenly sat down on the edge of his bed, seeming to age several years in a few seconds. He looked up at Ron, his eyes full of unspeakable pain and sorrow. Ron bent down on his knees, looking Harry square in the face, waiting as his body filled with fear.

"She has become a Death Eater."


	2. Chapter 2

Draco Malfoy was not known for his kindness. He was not renowned for his exceptional academic abilities. He was also not known for his overwhelming consideration for others. Draco Malfoy was simply known as the son of the infamous Death Eater Lucius Malfoy, and because he was the heir to a family who purportedly practiced the dark arts he had a reputation to uphold of arrogance, unbridled contempt for mudbloods, and to be extremely dangerous. But Draco Malfoy was more than a contemptuous, arrogant, foul-tempered young man, he was an unabashed mixture of emotions that collided together in often volatile combinations.

Draco Malfoy was clever. He was observant and perceptive – skills he had to hone living in a house of a demanding and brutal father, and a mother who expected nothing but perfection from her only son. But in the in-between times of his life, the quiet moments when he was not being lectured, drilled, or corrected by his parents, Draco dared to let his mind wander through the questions that continuously filled his head. Draco was a Malfoy through and through, and perhaps it was because of the cunning and slyness that ran in the family that he knew if the Malfoy line was to continue, he was fighting a losing battle.

Hermione had become the perfect weapon for Draco. She was vulnerable and easily manipulated through her bookishness, and he knew how to deliver just enough information to keep her looking for more. Draco believed in the dogma spouted by Voldermort. He believed in superiority of wizards and witches who were born pure of blood. He believed in the destruction of Harry Potter and the plans for the Death Eaters to slowly take over positions within the Ministry and Hogwarts. But he did not believe in their invincibility. And he could not understand why so many of the Death Eaters blindly followed Voldermort without questioning. He knew fear drove many, he had had a small taste of that fear and did not want to experience it anymore, but he knew that if a simple, clumsy boy could defeat one of the most powerful wizards of all time, then how could they expect to win the war? Draco was perplexed by the simple absurdity of a prophecy alleging that a mere boy with limited magical education could in any way defeat a wizard who had studied the dark arts, managed to survive through unimaginable odds, and had amassed one of the most feared group of followers?

Draco let out a small sigh as he stared at his ceiling. The Malfoy Manor was unusually quiet and it irked him that it allowed his mind time to wander down such dangerous paths. The events of the previous night had quieted many of the Dark Lord's followers, and Draco refused to let his mind dwell on it too much. Frustrated, he suddenly pushed himself up and sat on the edge of his bed. He buried his face in his hands trying to squeeze out the rush of images that flew past his eyes.

_Hermione's pale face, eyes filled with panic and fear as she looked from Draco to the gathered Death Eaters. _

_Hermione's scream as she was grabbed and dragged across the hard, stone floor of the Malfoy Manor by two of the masked Death Eaters. _

_The expressionless face of Voldermort as he stood before them, and looked down at the still form of the young woman. _

Draco stood, and scowled quickly scanning his room for something to break. Nothing was within immediate reach, so he turned picked up his wand and with a bellow of pent up rage he pointed it at the tall window, watching in grim satisfaction as it shattered. Draco watched as the glass fell to the gray stone floor, creating a corner of chaos in the usually well kept room.

"Does Master require us?" a small, nervous voice startled Draco. He whipped around wand pointed in the ready, his body tense and ready for a fight. His eyes narrowed in anger as he realized it was only a house elf.

"Get out," Draco growled, continuing to point his wand. Its eyes widened in panic and without another thought disappeared. All the house elves that were used at the Malfoy Manor knew that their lives were not sacred and at any moment they could be killed without any thought or remorse. "Damn nuisances," he muttered. "Damn nuisance this whole business."

Frustrated and with no outlet, he threw himself back on his bed, resuming his stare of the ceiling. He didn't know how long it would be until he was summoned, and he didn't know what was going on with Hermione, and he didn't want to care. But try as he might to smoother any feelings of remorse or concern he found that when it come to Hermione he couldn't. He didn't understand why she had begun to affect him, and he didn't enjoy it. He knew that it was a complication with his goals for survival through the coming war, and he also knew that it could be an excellent thing to exploit. But the thought of exploiting his feelings for Hermione was wrong, and deep down he knew that. For whatever reason, Draco Malfoy, the heir to one of the most notorious pureblood families and developed a set of feelings for the mudblood, and his mind simply won't let him think otherwise.

"_You are a fool, Slytherin" she flung her words at him in anger. Hermione had been trying to convince Draco for hours that he should help her become a Death Eater, but all that had happened were many circular conversations with no conclusions. She shivered slightly, and she wrapped her arms against the beginning chill of the night. She had suggested it safer to have such a conversation away from the listening walls of the school, and out on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and Draco had agreed. But he had not expected to have been dragged into her endless arguments over the war. And he had also not expected to have enjoyed such debates. _

"_I am not the fool, mudblood. The Dark Lord is one of the most powerful wizards of all times. What do mudbloods know on such matters? What could you even offer us that would tempt us enough to allow such filth into our ranks?" He stood his ground, his cold eyes watching her every move._

_Hermione gave an exasperated sigh and he watched her face wrinkle in frustration. "I can give you valuable information on the Order and on Harry and Ron. What they are up to, where they are going, what they plan to do…what could be more valuable than that?" _

_Draco snorted, "What makes you think we couldn't get that information from you without making you a Death Eater. What could stop me from taking that information right now?" He breathed his last words with such a dark intention that he watched Hermione give a visible shiver not due to the beginning cold of the night. He took a small step closer. "You know mudblood, this is all good and well but it still doesn't convince me of your desire to become a Death Eater." _

_Hermione snapped up to look at him squarely in the face, her words full of venom. "Voldermort will never win the war, if he doesn't have a firm knowledge of what the Order is going to do. He has to change his tactics if he wants to defeat the other wizards and witches who fight against him. I can offer him so much more, my knowledge and skill as a witch can only help him not hinder!"_

_Draco rocked back slightly on his heels, giving a slight turn of his head to the side in curiosity. "And yet you are one of the most well known enemies of the Dark Lord? Why are people going to be convinced that you suddenly had a change of heart?" _

_Hermione stood there staring at Draco, her eyes burning with anger. "You are going to have to come up with a more convincing argument than that if you want to even hope to entertain thoughts of becoming a Death Eater. And I would suggest that you do before you ask to speak to me again mudblood. I am not amused by this, and my curiosity at watching you try to ruin your life is running out."_

Draco opened his eyes, the image of Hermione slowly fading away. Deep down, he knew that truth of the matter. And he knew her argument had become so convincing that it would erase all doubts from the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. But he also knew the horrible price she had to pay for her ruse to become convincing, and the thought of it made Draco sick.


	3. Chapter 3

It was damp, foul smelling and definitely slimy. Hermione tenderly slid her hand down the cold dirt floor, trying to push herself up into a sitting position. But she was so weak, and her muscles didn't seem to want to work. With a shallow sigh, she turned her head letting her cheek rest upon the dirt, care for any exposure to unwanted germs long gone. Slowly she turned her arm over, and stared with a mix of curiosity and shame at the dark mark that now adorned her slender wrist.

Hermione had literally shed sweat, blood and tears to earn that mark. Earn, she almost wanted to vomit at the word, but earn she had and in ways she had not wished to. But she knew that physically the worst was over, and that what she was to face in the future would kill her emotionally. She had no illusions that anyone would understand the careful thought she had put into her plan, or the sacrifices that she had made. She knew that if she returned to Hogwarts she was to be an outcast, and that her only reliable help would come from her once worst enemy.

But with the death of Dumbledore, she knew that they were not strong enough to destroy Voldermort and his followers. Even the Order with such powerful wizards and witches making up its ranks, would not be enough to pull their side to victory. Hermione had begun her fateful line of thinking over the summer as she watched her world begin to collapse around her. She knew that Harry and Ron would not even hear her out, and that her plans and decisions had been made in the dark of the night and in the solitude of her own company.

With Hermione becoming a Death Eater she would gain unfettered access into the world of the dark arts, and with a mind as sharp as hers, she knew that it wouldn't take long for her to understand this hidden side of magic. And then she would emerge, reborn in the ashes of death and destruction, holding knowledge that none of her fellow compatriots would consider, but that would give them the power they needed to finish the war and rid the world of Voldermort and his followers. What she had naively not considered in the dark and twisted corridors of her mind, was the pain and suffering that she would have to endure in order to be accepted as a Death Eater. That had become painfully obvious when the last person in the world she thought would take an interest, began to give her a healthy dose of reality.

"Shite," Hermione moaned as she rolled over onto her back. She had a sinking feeling that several bones were broken and her body would soon be quite an array of black and blues. If she had her wand, she would try and repair what she could, but that was gone and gone for good. Silent anger had bubbled to the surface, temporarily pushing out the fear as she had watched Draco snap her wand in half. At first anger had fueled her as she watched his smug smile, but fear at a possible betrayal had quickly replaced the anger. She and Draco had discussed many different possible scenarios and outcomes with Hermione trying to be initiated as a Death Eater, but all the discussion in the world could not have prepared her for what she had gone through. And there was always a lingering thought through all of her planning that Draco would ultimately betray her.

But as she laid there, her body slowly was going numb from the pain and the cold seeping up through the floor she knew that something at least had gone according to plan. She raised her arm as best she could to have another look at the dark mark, and a cold smile began to play upon her lips. If they were going to out rightly reject her or destroy her they would not have taken the time to have given her the mark. So the ugly, revolting thing on her arm was a sign of victory, and as she let the waves of pain wash over her, she fell asleep contented that the first part of her plan was complete. But even in sleep her mind couldn't let go of the agony and details still left unfinished…

"_Mudblood, you are as stupid as I suspected you were." Draco whispered into Hermione's ear. He had been mildly intrigued when she had first asked him for such a clandestine meeting, but after she had finished speaking he was outraged. "Do you really believe that the Death Eaters are going to welcome you with open arms?" he hissed. Draco had grabbed Hermione in anger and pinned her against the wall, his hands tightly gripping her wrists. _

"_Get off of me, you prat!" Hermione yelled, ignoring his question. She struggled against his iron grip, but couldn't free her wrists. In one smooth movement, she brought her knee straight up into his stomach. The well aimed blow did the trick, as a startled and pain racked Draco let go and stumbled backwards. Hermione ripped out her wand from the depths of her school robe and pointed it steadily at Draco. But even in pain Draco was not a fool, as he too began to reach for his wand. But this time Hermione was quicker and in anger both at herself and at Draco yelled, "Expelliarmus!" The fury of her emotions lent an energy to the spell she did not expect and both Draco's wand and his body went flying backwards landing with a hard thud against the stone floor. _

_For a split second Hermione froze, fear at seeing what she had just done, and knowing that she was beginning to tread a path no longer just imagined in her mind, but a dangerous one in reality with its own set of consequences. The conflict of emotions raged within her, as part wanted to finish off the arrogant son of a bitch, and the other said that needless killing was wrong. Unable to let her mind come to any conclusion, Hermione turned and ran out of the classroom, fleeing the scene of her first true step towards becoming a Death Eater. She ran for a long time, working out the energy of uncertainty until she finally made it back to the entrance to the Gryffindor dormitory. But as she stopped in front of the sleeping image of the Fat Lady, Hermione could not bring herself to call out the password. Instead she backed up into the shadows until she could feel the cold, smooth stone behind her, and slowly slid down and sat there with silent tears caressing down her cheeks._

The door to the small cell groaned as someone pushed the iron door open. Hermione slowly opened her eyes to a blur of light and shadow as it bent over her and roughly picked her up. She tried to clear her eyes and mind to be able to trace where she was going, but she only floated in and out of alertness. Then she felt her body being supported by something strangely smooth and soft, an immediate warmth beginning to fill her body. She tried to push herself up to look around her new surroundings, but a hand roughly pushed her back down. "No, just sleep." Hermione knew that voice, and with it knew where she had to be. Her body relaxed instantly at the knowledge, but her mind wasn't as easily convinced.

Draco looked down at the young woman, her long golden brown hair steaming out around her, framing her battered and bruised body. He took out his wand, and stood there for a few minutes starting down at his once loathed enemy. And then with swift and deliberate movements he got to work. 


	4. Chapter 4

"Look mate, I know what all the evidence is pointing to but I just can't believe Hermione would or could do anything like that," Ron was angry. Not just a frustrated anger at a bad grade, or putting up with the usual taunts from the other students about his family, but an anger deep, down inside at situations that he couldn't control. It wasn't a feeling he was quite used to, but had been experiencing more as the events in the wizarding world continued to collapse into chaos.

Harry didn't move, but continued to sit on the edge of the common room sofa staring into the fire. He watched as the bright flames slowly worked their way through the outer bark of the logs, until they would finally turn them into ash. He wondered if this was the way that Hermione had changed, slowly being burned on the outside until everything that she had been crumbled like ash. He knew that Ron would have a hard time accepting the truth, but Harry had become jaded through the events of recent years. He was no longer the wide-eyed youth who fought his way through dangerous situations with the innocence that everything would automatically turn out alright. He knew the hard reality of life and had experienced more than his fair share. The death of Dumbledore, his one shining light in the darkness had been taken from him, and with that any shred of hope in the idea that everything would just turn out alright.

But this recent turn of events with the betrayal of one of his best friends, one of the few people he trusted his life too, was almost too much to bear. "I think, Ron, that we…" Harry paused, his voice catching on the words, "that we are going to have to consider Hermione as the enemy now."

Ron took a few quick steps to the sofa and sat down next to Harry, his eyes also turning to the fire. "I just don't think I can do that." He gave a large sigh, running his hand through his messy hair.

Harry understood more than Ron suspected, and knew that his friend's feelings for Hermione wouldn't be so easily erased. But he also knew that it would become a problem if they were to ever face her again, and especially if they would have to make a hard decision in how to deal with her. "I know…I know."

Harry leaned back tightly shutting his eyes. "But all of the evidence points in her direction, and the rest of the Order agree. There is just too much stacked against her…for it to not be true."

"But how could we have been so blind to everything that was going on? I mean our best friend, cripes…Hermione for crying out loud has become…become a Death Eater!" Ron was beginning to feel shame as well as anger at the turn of events. How could two people, so dedicated to defeating Voldermort and his Death Eaters, miss the fact that their best friend who fought with them, ate with them, and shared every detail of their life become one of the people they hated? And then the anger flared again, as Ron continued to roll the stories they had been told in his head. How could she do all of those things? Against people that they knew? Against people that they had said they would protect? How could she suddenly become evil?

Harry shook his head. "I know. It is almost too much to take in right now…but we have to face this Ron. We can't run from it. Whatever has happened, has happened and we are going to have to face it head on."

"I can't believe that there isn't something to be done though, something that we could do to help her. Harry we have to at least try," Ron looked over pleadingly. He wouldn't just give up on her, he couldn't.

"That will be up to the Order, and we should be there by now," Harry stood, with Ron quickly following suit. They were both scared of what the outcome of tonight's meeting could be. The Order was taking a risk by meeting at Hogwarts but the severity of what they had to discuss could not wait, and they had to take the risk.

It didn't take them long to make their way through the corridors of their beloved school, and they soon found themselves in front of the entrance to the Headmaster's office. They entered filled with a mix of emotions, sadness and anger at the loss of Dumbledore, anger and hate for the man who now inhabited the office, fear and respect for the man who could sacrifice himself for the thing that he believed in most.

The main room itself had not changed except for the oppressive feeling of anxiety that hung about the small group of people clustered around the desk. All eyes turned to look at Harry and Ron as they entered the room. No familiar greetings were exchanged, and Harry and Ron quickly and quietly took the two empty chairs left for them. Both young men kept their eyes downward, feeling an overwhelming sense of shame and guilt at the thought that they had been taken as off guard with the revelation about one of their own as the others.

"We are here to discuss the recent events of Hermione Granger. We will ascertain a course of action." The dry voice of now Headmaster Severus Snape cut across the stillness of the members of the Order of the Phoenix. His dark gaze rested upon the gathered people and he noted the shared shocked expressions, and was glad that he at least could keep a steady voice. For even the gruff potions master had been stunned by Hermione's betrayal.

"I'm not sure that I'm convinced that the reports are true," Molly Weasley spoke up quickly. She gave a quick glance over at her husband, who nodded for her to continue. "I know that the sources are to be trusted, but can we really sit here and believe that Hermione was capable of willing being a part of it? Perhaps we should be seeing if she has been coerced into something, or…" she trailed off, not quite sure how to find the right words to convince herself and the others of Hermione's complete innocence.

Kingsley Shacklebolt stiffened in his chair, and cleared his voice. "I know that this is hard for all of us. It has come as quite a shock, but I am afraid that the evidence is…conclusive. Hermione Granger is a Death Eater. She has participated in at least three Death Eater raids, consisting in the destruction of several Muggle neighborhoods, the deaths of at least three Muggle born witches, and was present at the confirmed execution of Madam Edgecombe who worked with the Department of Magical Transportation."

Ron's face drained of blood as he heard again the charges against Hermione. He looked over at his mother, and saw tears beginning to form in her eyes. Molly glanced at her son, but had to look away. All the members of the Order couldn't look at one another. None wanted to face the decision that had to be made, and finally Snape forced the words into the room.

"We must determine a course of action…we must decide what to do with the Death Eater…Hermione Granger. She has an intimate knowledge of this Order, its members and its current plans. We must act. We have to consider our options to protect this Order and what we are working towards…and we must be prepared to do whatever it takes." He did his best to keep his voice even and devoid of emotion, but even for him it was hard when considering what they might have to do.

"I think it would be obvious, that we must find her and take her to a secure location. We can determine what has been done to her then, and what her future would hold." Ron surprised himself as he spoke so confidently and so resolutely. The other members turned towards him. "I know what she is accused of doing and being a part of but no matter what we have to acknowledge what she was and has done for each one of us. No matter how much she has changed, she was once our friend and confident. Dumbledore would have believed in her until the end."

The members sat in silence, letting the words of one of their youngest members wash over them. There was a truth in his words that could not be denied. "I believe that Mr. Weasley is correct. If for no other reason, we will do this for the memory of Dumbledore. For if we can't continue to act in the way that he showed, and through his ultimate sacrifice of his life then we have no business being in this Order." Professor McGonagall spoke firmly, emboldened by Ron's words.

Snape looked around at the others, "Are there any other options?" No one was willing to spend time discussing something so hurtful. "Then it is decided. We will begin our search for Ms. Granger, and once captured, determine a course of action."


	5. Chapter 5

The light shone through the tall, narrow windows bringing a little warmth into the room after the chill of the night. Hermione yawned, as the light gently caressed her face, waking her from sleep. As she opened her eyes, she pushed her hands up, and stretched out her back, and as her eyes began to focus, she remembered where she was and what circumstances had brought her there. She pulled her body back into itself, struggling with her emotions, and suddenly the light shining across the bed irritated her, and she rolled over trying to shut it out. But instead of finding some solace, she only found irritation, for it brought the discovery of another person sharing the bed with her. She blinked as her eyes focused on the chiseled features of the young man inches from her. She let her eyes travel down from his messy white blonde hair, to his strong arms lying at his side.

Hermione wasn't sure if she would ever fully trust Draco, but she did know that so far he had held true to his word. He had helped her through some of the most difficult times in her life, and oddly enough had indeed provided comfort and a sense of security. She knew that they would always argue, and threaten each other with their magic, but their relationship had softened as the deeper they entangled their lives together they knew they would have to rely upon each other for safety.

Hermione wasn't prepared to allow herself to deepen her trust for her unlikely companion. But she also knew that if she was going to survive and have any hope that her plan would accomplish what she had set out to do, that with her survival and ability to tread such dangerous waters, Draco Malfoy was her only hope. And with that unsettling thought, Hermione closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep again.

"_You cannot show weakness mudblood if you are to succeed," Draco was visibly frustrated by Hermione sudden turn of moods. "Weakness is not tolerated." _

_Hermione snapped, anger bubbling to the surface as she hurtled herself at Draco. "Enough! You have no right to talk to me that way!" She punched him squarely across the jaw, and ignoring the pain in her hand turned, bringing her leg around in one swift movement, knocking him to the ground. She quickly brought her wand out and leveled it at him, "Locomotor Mortis," she watched with a grim satisfaction as Draco's legs zipped together, holding him in place, "you will never speak to me again in that manner. Do…you…understand?"_

_Draco smirked as he looked up at the glowering face of Hermione. "Now I'm beginning to believe you." _

"_Come on mudblood, if you are going to do this you have to commit to it," Draco growled, his wand held at the ready as he watched Hermione nervously circle him. "Do it!" _

_Hermione stiffened slightly as she leveled her wand straight at Draco, and evenly pronounced, "Crucio." She watched in horror as Draco's body stiffened, his hand opening allowing his wand to drop to the floor with a sickening thud. His body quickly followed as did the screams of pain. Hermione dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she watched the pain she inflicted on Draco._

_The smoke from the fires slowly twisted and turned up into the night sky. The deep orange glow casting eerie shadows from the few gathered watching the houses slowly succumb to the inevitable. Hermione wanted to bend over and empty her stomach of the contents of her dinner, but she knew she had to stand her ground if she was to be believed. The three other Death Eaters who had accompanied her to ensure her compliance and participation on the raid in the small muggle town, were quietly talking and laughing at the destruction that had helped cause. It took all of her strength emotionally and physically to stand her ground and watch the houses slowly burn to the ground._

Draco was jolted awake, immediately put on the defense by screams of terror. He sat up, blinding reaching for his wand but quickly stopped as he realized the source of the screams. He scooted over, and roughly grabbed Hermione's shoulder, trying to shake her awake. "Wake up!" he shouted at her.

Hermione opened her eyes, wide and full of fear and pain. "No! Please…I didn't mean to…I didn't mean to," she sobbed, her body shuddering violently. And then something happened, that Draco would never be able to explain, but something changed as he was confronted with Hermione lying there before him, pain radiating off her body. He tentatively reached out and pulled her close to his body, gently wrapping his arms around her. His hand gently stroked her hair, trying to give her some comfort.

Hermione didn't recoil from his touch, but sunk into him, and breathed in his musky scent, letting the warmth of his body slowly seep over to her. "I never meant to hurt anybody. I never realized what this would all mean…I just thought that if I could acquire the knowledge needed to…"

"Shhh…shhh just don't think about it, let it go. What has been done is done, there is no going back. You have committed to a path, to a cause that you believe in…and," he paused glancing up at the ceiling, looking inward to himself as well as he spoke, "and sometimes there are horrible consequences to the choices that we have to make in order to reach our final goal. But that is about of the responsibility and dedication when you believe in a cause, in an idea. We all have those moments in our life, and we all have to live with them."

Hermione had quieted down as she let his words sink into her, quietly she whispered, "When did you ever believe in something that much?"

Draco looked down and pushed her away, distance seeping into his voice again. "Since the day I committed myself to the Dark Lord's path."

Hermione stiffened slightly, and pushed herself up into a sitting position. "Of course, forgive me."

Draco turned to her, his eyes widening in shock. "What did you say?"

Hermione returned his look with puzzlement. "Why?" She couldn't believe her eyes, as she actually saw Draco slightly blush for perhaps the first time in her life. He quickly looked away, but before he could try and recover his dignity they both felt a burning pain. They looked down at their left forearms, as the Dark Mark began to change color. They glanced up at each other, their eyes full of concern.

Draco stood as simply said, "It has begun."


End file.
